


Pick up the Pace

by blakefancier



Series: For Your Entertainment [3]
Category: Captain America (2011)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-09-11
Updated: 2011-09-11
Packaged: 2017-10-23 15:55:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 936
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/252157
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blakefancier/pseuds/blakefancier
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Howard and Peggy have a little talk about Steve.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Pick up the Pace

**Author's Note:**

> GAH! I swear Steve'll be back in the picture next story. I am totally off my game this week because of a sinus infection, and for that I am sorry. So, so, sorry.

Howard doesn't see Steve again until Italy. He's been keeping track of Steve's movements, having his little brother ship him the comics and posters. He even asked Eddie to clip whatever newspaper articles he could find.

He tells himself that it's a distraction, that it makes living in a war zone easier.

He doesn't gather with the soldiers to see Steve's show. He stays in his tent, fiddling with a bit of HYDRA machinery some of the soldiers brought back from a firefight a month ago. It's a test to see how long he can hold out before the desire becomes too much.

He's just about to get up and look for Steve when Agent Carter comes to his tent.

When she asks for his help, he says yes. Of course he does.

*****

He tries to be like Carter; she takes Phillips' dressing down with her head held high, her eyes staring straight at the wall, her cheeks slightly flushed.

Howard tries to be like her, but every heated word makes his stomach churn and his body tense. He stares at the floor, fighting the urge to cringe and curl into a ball. He knows Phillips won't hurt him, he knows Phillips won't lift a hand, but his instincts are screaming at him to protect himself.

"Mr. Stark!"

He flinches and swallows hard. "Yes, Colonel." His voice breaks.

"Get out of my sight."

He can hear the disgust in the man's voice; it hurts, though he should be used to it by now. "Yes, sir."

He flees.

Carter finds him later in his tent, staring moodily at some blueprints for a new weapon, the radio playing softly in the background. She pulls up a chair and sits next to him at his desk.

She sets down a couple of glasses and a bottle of bourbon. "I think we both deserve this."

Howard chuckles weakly and takes a glass. "I won't say no to a bit of booze."

She opens the bottle and pours them both a generous helping. "He'll be fine. I know the colonel doesn't believe that, but I do. Steve's a fighter."

"Yeah." He takes a sip of the bourbon. "When I first met him, I was sure the experiment was going to be a spectacular failure."

"I think most people did." She reaches over and touches his hand. "But our Steve's a fighter."

"Our Steve?" He stills for a moment, then forces himself to take another drink. "Your Steve. He wouldn't mind fonduing with you."

Carter raises an eyebrow. "You think so? What about you, Howard? Who would you like to fondue with?"

He downs the rest of the bourbon, wincing at the burn of alcohol and pours himself another glass. "When I first got here, I had a very long talk with Phillips about not fraternizing with the personnel, military or scientific."

"I love this song," she says suddenly. She gets up and holds out her hand. "Dance with me."

He shouldn't, but it would be bad manners not to take her hand, so he does. He gets to his feet and pulls her into his arms. It’s Glenn Miller, Where Fools Rush in; he almost laughs. They move slowly, awkwardly; he doesn’t quite meet her eyes.

"He'll be fine," she says softly, as if she's trying to convince herself.

"Sure he will," he whispers.

The hand she has on his shoulder moves to the back of his neck and she pulls him close for a kiss.

He gasps, surprised, and turns his head. "You're Steve's girl."

"I'm my own woman, Howard." Then she leans in and kisses him again.

Her mouth tastes like bourbon and lipstick and his mind reels as he tries to find a way out of this. He likes Carter, he likes her a lot, and he thought she understood that his flirting was just a game he was playing.

She pulls back, just a hair's breath, and chuckles softly. "He's never kissed a girl, our Steve. He's never done anything."

Howard tenses and tries to pull away but the hand on his neck tightens.

"Do you remember when he first stepped out of that machine, after his transformation?" She looks into his eyes and he nods; how could he forget? "He was perfect."

"Yes," he says, his voice trembling.

"I wanted to touch him all over, lick him all over."

Howard shudders at her words and closes his eyes. "He was beautiful." He can say that, can't he? She's his, no matter what she says otherwise, she's Steve's, so she understands.

"Oh, he was. He is, inside and out. But we're not beautiful people, are we, Howard?" Carter presses against him and licks his mouth. "He asked about you, before he went off to be a symbol."

He opens his eyes in surprise. "H-He did? Why?" He fights back against the hope that lilts his voice.

"I don't know." She brushes her lips against his jaw. "Do you want me?"

He swallows hard. "Everyone wants you. You're gorgeous."

Carter smiles and steps away. "We're not beautiful people, Howard. We need to remember that. Steve has a greater purpose than USO shows and falling in love."

"I'm just a mechanical engineer, Peggy." He grabs his glass and takes a drink to wash the taste of her from his mouth. "I don't know anything about USO shows. Or falling in love. Just ask all the dames I've dated."

"Hmm." She licks her lips. "I have a meeting in fifteen minutes. I'll leave you the bottle, shall I?"

He nods and when she leaves, he drinks the whole damn thing.


End file.
